Because of Your great Mercies 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman

“O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name” (Daniel 9:18–19 NKJV). 

Desperate times call for desperate prayers! Daniel interceded to God for the destruction of the City of Jerusalem and the nation. Not only was the city looted, torn apart, and burned, but the leadership had been either murdered or exiled to a foreign country. Daniel himself was taken as a prisoner and assigned duties in the palace of a pagan power. His times were desperate!

Daniel was committed to God and found great strength in daily prayers. In fact, it became his practice to open a window and pray toward Jerusalem three times each day. Though his prayers were personal and directed solely toward God others saw and noted his habit and his continual devotion to the Lord God of Israel. This was not a short term assignment or a singular event. Throughout the seventy years of exile in Babylon and Daniel’s lifetime he continually prayed for his people, the city, and for the restoration that was promised. 

Daniel would never participate in the repatriation. He would not be among the thousands who eventually returned to rebuild Jerusalem. As an elderly man in exile he would stay in Babylon until his death, but he could always pray for God’s purposes to be fulfilled, and he did. 

The content of Daniel’s prayer of repentance and plea for restoration was recorded in the Book of Daniel 9:4–19. He confessed the sins of his people as he personally identified with their failure and he prayed, “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets” (Daniel 9:5–6 NIV). He continued his lament, “We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you” (Daniel 9:8 NIV).

The disaster of judgment was deserved. The nations of Israel and Judah had forsaken the Commandments and sinned against the Lord of the Covenant. Daniel offered no excuses or made any attempt to justify their sin. He simply confessed to the national failure to follow after God and repented of their sins that had resulted in their destruction. He admitted, “The Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him” (Daniel 9:14 NIV). 

Daniel made an appeal to God based on His righteousness and the reputation of His character. He addressed Him as the, “Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day” (Daniel 9:15 NIV). He reminded the Lord of His reputation among the nations and the righteous acts of the past. The name of the Lord was upon the City of Jerusalem and His reputation was at stake. He petitioned, “In keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill” (Daniel 9:16 NIV).
Daniel’s prayer was not based on anything he or his people deserved, but he solely appealed to the mercies of God. He prayed, “Because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name” (Daniel 9:18–19 NIV).

We can pray with confidence because of His great mercy.
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Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Then I will Hear 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV). 

Often when we pray we may feel that we speak in vain and the sound of our voice bounces off of empty walls and a solid ceiling. We try to believe that God hears us but our faith is low and we are unsure of God’s attention. It is then that the Word of God offers us the assurance of all we need to know; that our voice is being heard and God is not far from us. Our prayers are touching heaven and His answer will come.

In the context of the verse above, Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and completed its grand dedication. God confirmed His pleasure with His presence as, “the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house” (2 Chronicles 7:1–2). This confirmation of God’s presence was evident to all the people who gathered for this occasion. It was a sign to all that God was among His people and had blessed the efforts of their leadership to provide a central place of worship for all the nation. The people bowed down, “worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, For His mercy endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 7:3).

Some time after this dedication the Lord appeared to Solomon and revealed some of the consequences of disobedience. Though God was real and present with them He cautioned them about things to come. When they ignored God and failed to follow after Him; when they embraced the pagan practices of religion from surrounding nations; or when they abandoned the covenant with God they could expect judgment on their nation. That did not indicate hopelessness or despair rather an opportunity to repent and turn back to God. He said, “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13–14).

We have seen times of intense drought, swarming pests, raging forest fires, the pandemic of a coronavirus and many other calamities in recent times. Does this suggest the judgment of God is being revealed against people who have abandoned faith and embraced the profane? It certainly seems like a similar response to what God exacted against Israel following the days of Solomon. We have no reason to expect that God would not respond to our prayer in the same way He promised to respond to a repentant people in this text. When people humble themselves in repentance, seeking the face of God, we have the promise of an answer from heaven, forgiveness for our sins, and healing for our land. God said, “I will hear from heaven!”

Through times of tremendous adversity, it is well to recall the promise of God to hear us. We may find great consolation in the fact that God is listening even when we don’t feel His presence or see the work of His hand. He still hears us. 

Pray with confidence. Pray with care, because He really is tuned in to our conversation with Him. When we begin to see answers to our prayers, our faith will soar and we will proclaim the greatness of our God. So let us begin now, before the answer arrives, praising Him for hearing us and for the answers that He is preparing.

He will hear us!
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Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Asked and Answered 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11–13 NKJV). 
Often we have used the verse above and focused on “thoughts of peace” or “a future and a hope.” In the larger context we are given a promise that when we call on the Lord and pray to Him, He will listen. As we seek the Lord we are assured that we will find Him, particularly when we seek with all our passion. All we have to do is ask. As we voice our prayer toward heaven we know that He hears and He is preparing an answer for us.
Children are often persistent in their repeated requests. When they want something strongly enough they will continue asking until they get the answer that they desire. One particular persistent child would not take no for an answer. She would continue to press for the answer that she wanted. Her parents finally had to tell her, “Asked and answered!” She learned that when she pressed the issue too far this would be the response and she was unlikely to get a change of outcome. Of course, this illustration anticipates a negative response without an expected change. 
With God, very often we find that He has already promised a positive outcome. Just because we have not seen the evidence of its completion we continue asking for something that He has already granted. Perhaps God looks down in our times of prayers of petition and responds, “Asked and answered!” When we have a Word from the Lord that He has heard us, we can rest assured that the answer is on the way. We don't have to see the final outcome to know that He hears us. Faith assures us of His attention and gives us confidence in His answer. 
Prayers are powerful. James said, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). The prophet Elijah was offered as an example of fervent and effective prayer. James recalled that the prophet prayed and the heavens ceased from pouring out rain on the earth. The drought continued for three and a half years. Yet, when he prayed again for the rain to return the answer was incredible and miraculous. There was a sound of an abundance of rain after the showdown with the false prophets of Baal and the simple faith filled prayer of the man of God. Before the sign of rain the prophet prayed for a sign from heaven. He prayed until he saw a small cloud arise over the sea. That was all the assurance he needed and he warned King Ahab to head for the city before the rains descended. He asked and God answered!
Our our prayer should be offered with the full confidence that we are being heard. So many promises in Scripture confirm a positive answer to our petitions. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Let our faith arise in the promises of Scripture and in the words of Jesus. 
If we can take these words to heart our prayers will change. No longer are prayers repeated words of obligation or rote recitation, but they will become faith petitions and deliberate requests knowing that God not only hears us when we pray; He answers! We may pray more carefully knowing that what we ask can have eternal significance. God will move heaven and earth to respond to our earnest prayers and fervent petitions. They will be asked and answered!  
Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Your Will be Done 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10 NKJV). 

Essentially, prayer must be offered in the authority of the name of Jesus. Whenever we ask in His name we are assured that He hears us and we have confidence that He will respond to our petitions. When He answers we know that His will is being done in earth as it is already being accomplished in heaven. The Lord’s example models to us the effectiveness of prayer according to His will; that His purposes in earth will mirror the performance of His plan in the heavens. As John revealed, “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

Knowing God and the intent of His purpose allows us to have an insightful understanding of powerful prayer. When we know Him, we know His will. When we pray according to His will, there is a promise of a positive response to our requests. 

How can we know God? How can we know His will and the divine intent of our prayers? We often think it is impossible to know God to that extent where we may have intimate knowledge of His plans and purpose. However, Paul expressed this was exactly God’s desire for the church. He said, “God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:9–12).

God’s desire is that we might have an intimate understanding of His thoughts and His ways. It is His desire that we may pray effectively and in unity with His purposes. When we pray earnestly and effectively, that being in His Will, we will find our prayers to be powerful. 

James spoke of Elijah’s prayer that stopped the rains in Israel for three and a half years. Yet, when Elijah prayed again, in conjunction with God’s plan, the rains returned and God was magnified in the nation. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:16–18). The key for Elijah’s day and for ours is that we might understand our times, observe what God is doing, and know His Word through a study of Scripture. We may then pray according to God’s Will and in unity with His purpose. 

It was said of the Sons of Issachar that they, “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). May God grant us that wisdom in these latter days to know what is the will of God and the mind of the Spirit. Let us pray according to Christ’s pattern, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Praying in faith, His will be done!
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Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Hear my Cry 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman
“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy” (Psalm 61:1-3 NKJV). 
Sometimes we cry out in desperation, sometimes in faith. The important thing is to cry out confidently to a God who hears on high. 
When everything is going wrong and problems seem to be overwhelming the last thing we need is someone to coach us on the proper way to pray or the correct posture to present our petitions. Perfectly folded hands or fingertips carefully aligned and pointing to heaven may be great models for art or sculpture, but not very helpful when one needs an answer from heaven. 
From the pit of despair only a heartfelt cry serves to communicate the desperate desire for relief from suffering. Pain gives anguish a voice and hopelessness is heard through the tears of travail. We learn to weep when we know suffering. We find relief when we learn to cry. Our pleas for rescue become prayers for intervention. When our voice becomes a vehicle of intercession we find access into the healing resources of heaven’s provision. 
We can be assured that God hears us when we cry out to Him. John wrote, “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). Confidence is the assurance of His responsiveness, the conviction of His love, and the positive belief that He has the answer for every present situation. 
There should be no doubt that we have the attention of heaven when we call on the name of Jesus. “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14). When you speak the name of Jesus Christ you will have His attention. Through His name there is power against every adversity and the authority to dominate “every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
In the Psalms we find this assurance, “The Lord will hear when I call to Him” (4:3). David said, “In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears” (18:6). We have His promise, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth” (145:18).
Not only are we speaking to God, but in our crying out to Him we find that He is speaking to us. In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis wrote, “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” In the midst of a pandemic, a problem, or persistent pain, God is speaking loudly and encouraging us to communicate with Him. He will be the shelter, that secure place of consolation in the course of crisis.  
Remember, He hears us!
Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).